


Be My ROYGBIV

by Huskypup5



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Dan owns a dog, Depression, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Phil Lester Is A Sweetheart, Phil Lester is a Cat person, Soulmates, musician - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:09:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24109516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huskypup5/pseuds/Huskypup5
Summary: The train car was very packed so he just turned back to face the doors instead of finding somewhere else to stand. Once in position the automated voice said to stand back. His is head came up to meet the eyes of a stranger at the last second. Dan stood there for what felt like forever as the world moved slowly around him. He could hear slow and loud chatter but his heartbeat was booming over it. Those eyes shook Dan's world more than anything he had ever experienced. They made a shiver run up his spine and a heat to his neck and face. They were so bright, unlike anything he had ever seen. And in his heart he knew, they held color.That was his soulmate.But then everything came crashing around down as the doors snapped shut while the stranger came running to the train panic evident in his eyes. The train zipped away and Dan was thrown around at the lack of holding on.
Relationships: Dan Howell & Phil Lester, Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Kudos: 16





	1. Grey (prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I hope you like this story

Dan Howell hates London...

Black may be Dan's favorite color but that's only because it the only color he knows. He lives his life surrounded by smiling people while stuck in a morbid world of black and white. 

His mother used to tell him stories of colors. She was an incredible writer so she would tell him about what feeling described a color. He would ask her over and over again for what colors felt like and she would tell him by the Rainbow. 

"Gray feels like getting a C on a test, like an old photo with no smiles. It takes your mind and makes it boring and frank. Its like getting a job in a cubicle and sitting there all day with nobody to talk to. But gray as also artsy photos of rain and soul. Gray is like a piano that doesn't need color to be beautiful it has sound and meaning." 

He thinks of these things as he sits alone in his new flat, his once happy mother and abusive stepfather of 10 years had kicked him out of there home and into a flat in London. They didn't want to deal with the then 23 year old and abandoned him about 5 years ago, but he couldn't afford anything because they had pressured him into pursuing law unlike theater which was his dream. Now, they were going through a divorce and both wouldn't stop bitching about it. He often remembered what his mom was like before the drinking or even before his dad, her soulmate, died. She would laugh and smile and tell Dan about the wonderful things in life. 

She used to radiate love, it ebbed and flowed off of her like she was a fountain of youth. And she told him she loved him unconditionally. Obviously, that had changed, and he could tell looking around his barren surroundings that he was alone.

His house is small. It has one bedroom, one bathroom with a shower, a quaint kitchen, a living room with his comfy couch. It wasn't by any means a bad place, and with a bit of work it could possibly be very cozy, and that is just what Dan wanted. Maybe he would even get a little dog, or a few little plants. Something to bring some joy and love in his life. But that's just wishful thinking.

He looked at the grey walls, the grey windows, grey carpet, and grey life. He wonders if it'll ever change.

Now, as he sits surrounded by boxes in the quiet flat he hopes that he meets his soulmate and they save him for the hell his life has become.


	2. Red

"Red is like sweet strawberries on summer days. It tastes like a girls lip balm, and feels like a boys cheeks. Red is overcoming love and lust. Red is chasing after someone who could be gone forever but trying anyway. Red is jealousy, it's anger when things don't work out or when you feel betrayed. Red is a dangerous temptation and yet a power so sweet." 

It was his first day at work today and he was trying to find his way around this insane city and bumping into everyone because he honestly had to be the most clumsy person alive... and the most awkward. 

He finally got to his work, a coffee place about eight city blocks from his new apartment. His toes were frozen, as it was January, and he welcomed the warm, welcoming building. There was hipster decor all over the walls. The far wall was wood, the one behind the counter was swirly wallpaper. The other two were solid white (as far as he could tell) and had large windows. He guessed that it would be mainly black and white with bright outlandish colors randomly scattered like on the huge clock on the wall. There was also tons of signs with inspirational quotes on them everywhere. 

He sighed. This was going to be where he spent his days for the next however many months. For x hours a day. 6 days a week. 

After finding out everything he need and getting into his uniform he stood in front of the cash register taking orders from costumers while his new coworkers (he still wasn't sure if their names, was it Lucy and Pj?) made the drinks and out them in cute little mugs. Lucy and Pj were nice, and they were cute to watch bickering. Pj was tall, and attractive but not Dan's type. He had curly hair that fell into his eyes and those particular eyes were sparkling green. Lucy was short and cute with blond hair died pink at the ends. They were both loud and a bit chronically insane, from what he could see, but that was fine with him.

His day dragged on with lots of taking orders of coffee, and chattering with Pj and Louise (it took a while be he finally learned their names). He was bad at small talk but they didn't see to mind. 

"So, how old are you, Dan?" Pj asked when there were no customers. Dan didn't really mind, they were all sitting around anyway. 

"Pj, at least wait a day before you start hitting on the poor boy," Louise teased. 

"Shut up! For the record, I'm quite happy with my soulmate for your information," he defended and stuck his tongue out. Dan giggled into his hand. His hair falling in his face a little.

"I'm 23," he told Pj while smiling like he hadn't in days. "what about you two?" 

"I'm 24, just recently. And this ancient one is 29," Pj giggled as Louise. 

"Just because I'm a mum, don't think I can't kick your arse," she warned him and started to tickled his sides. 

He giggled and said, "Mercy!" 

Dan was laughing too, until Louise turned and attacked him, he let out a yep and giggled while swatting at her hands. Soon they were all laughing at each other. After a few minuets they settled down.

"I'm glad you got a job here, Dan. I can tell we are going to be good friends," Louise said while Pj nodded eagerly. Dan felt a warmth in his heart that he hadn't felt in months.

Just after that a costumer walked in. The three of them went back to doing their jobs, a comfortable silence between them. Dan whipped tables while PJ made drinks and Louise took orders from the growing string of people. 

It was around 4 and he got off at 5, so he would get off at the middle of rush hour, though lunch was the busiest time. 

Dan felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around to find a bright smiling boy, his hair looked odd, but Dan couldn't pinpoint why. He was wearing the same uniform as Dan and wore a name tag that dan didn't even have time to read before the boy started speaking very quickly. 

"Why hello there! I'm Tyler Oakley, and you are... Dan? Are you knew here?" But before Dan could say anything at all he continued, "Your going to love it here, it's so much fun and PJ and Lou are amazing people, plus I'm pretty sure we will work together on weekends. this shops is so great and it's the best for meeting soulmates, unless you have a soulmate. But in that case, congrats, and I bet they are wonderful. I have a soulmate, I met him here-" and then finally he was cut off. 

"Tyler, how about don't scare the cute new boy before he even works a full day here," a new boy with curly hair and a cute face tease wrapping his arms around him in a disgustingly cute way. 

"Sorry," Tyler muttered going quiet for once. 

"It's ok, love," he smile a boyish smile, "your so cute. All helpful and welcoming." And then he walked away laughing silently as if knowing the effect he had on the boy. 

"That was Gavin, my soulmate," he blushed but smiled nonetheless. "Anyway, it really nice to meet you." 

Dan smiled back truthfully, "you too!"

Dan went back to cleaning tables and listening to the music of the shop until his shift was over. He then said goodbye to Louise, PJ, Tyler, and Gavin. They all gave him a hug and told him that they were happy he was working there. Dan smiled and blushed under all the attention. He said thank you and gave a small wave before walking out the door.

It was snowing outside, the flakes falling from the cloudy, white sky and coating the ground and decorating peoples hair. The thick, crystal flakes coated the trees and stuck to the roofs of buildings. It was beautiful, and people were rejoicing the beautiful powder. Kids in the park were building snowmen and cute couples were having playful snowball fights. Dan loved the snow because it was something he could see the same as every one else, the powder was white and the houses were black in the nightly moons reflection. 

Dan decided that although he liked the snow and its perfection it was bloody freezing out. But he really didn't have enough money for the tube so he trudged his way home through the dimming city. He shivered into his scarf and bumped shoulders with lots of strangers until finally made it to his apartment. He climbed the stairs and went straight to his warm bed so he could just browse on Tumblr. 

He doesn't know how long he sat there before he got an incoming call on his phone. 

"Connor" it read with a picture of him doing a silly face. he pressed the answer button and put the phone up to his ear. 

"Hey," Dan said 

"OMG HIIIIIIII!!!!" His very hyper friend of 6 years yelled in his ear. They met in college and were soon inseparable. Dan was the first person Connor told when he found his soulmate. But, that was an interesting case all on its own. 

You see, Connor is 1000% gay.

But his soulmate is a girl. 

And she's actually bisexual and has a girlfriend who she is in love with. 

And said girlfriend is Connor's childhood friend who he calls his sister.

And said sister's soulmate is actually Connor's boyfriend. 

So.... they are platonically soulmates as well as the four of them share a flat together. 

"How is my beautiful London while I'm away?" He asked with a funny far off voice. Oh ya, and him and the people who he refers to as his family (he, his boyfriend, his soulmate, and his sister) are in a band and are currently on tour. 

"Beautiful, it's snowing right now. I just got back from my first day at work. I actually even made some friends!" Dan chattered into the phone smiling. 

"I told you so!" A distant yell came from across the room. Dan could tell it was his best friend's soulmate.

"Hi Dodie, how are you?" He said loudly to her.

"I'm good Daniel, how is your piano going?" She said purposefully just to get him annoyed.

"Oh, just wonderful, I wrote a new song yesterday. Its called 'fuck off, Dodie Clark'." He sasses her back. 

"Sounds like the anthem of my life," Connor chimed back into the conversation with a giggle and Dan could assume that Dodie playfully hit him. 

"Anyway, we should be back home from Australia on Friday so we should all go out to Lunch together!" Dodie exclaimed happily. 

"Yes, totally as that's my day off!" Dan agreed with a smile. "Anyway, thanks for checking in but I think I'm going to head to bed, it's 9 o'clock here and I'm really tired," Dan yawned even thinking about it.

"Goodnight!" Connor said blowing him a kiss

"Sleep well," Dodie said before blowing a kiss as well and handing up. 

He got up from his warm cocoon and stripped of his clothes before turning off the light and diving back into the warmth. He cuddled into his bed and felt a small pang of loneliness when he realized that he was alone. The cold would be slower to warm up with nobody by his side. He frown and thought of what he did ever single night. 

"One day, my soulmate with make my life colorful...."


	3. Orange

"Orange is the sunset, it's when the sun falls over the peak of the horizon and a warm pie crisp feeling spreads through you. Orange is the autumn leaves falling around your face as you walk down the street of your home town with jeans and a coffee cup in your hand. Its a pure bliss of contentment, and yet, it's bland, orange is when something could be so pretty and yet... it's underrated in most cases. It's like coffee with no sugar, it has so much potential and yet... most people don't like it. Orange is when you just aren't good enough."

"DANNY!" Dodie yelled. The 5 foot 7 brunet may be tiny but as she tackled the awkward boy in a hug and wrapped her legs around his torso it felt like cobra.

"Mmphf!" The boy in question replied wrapping his arms around her tightly. He felt another pair of arms join the hug and smiled knowing Conner had joined their hug. 

Dodie finally untangled herself from him and gave him a huge smile as she grabbed onto conners hand. Before Dan knew it another hug tackled him as Troy gave him a somewhat slobbery kiss on the cheek and a giant hug. He giggled and hugged back. 

"Hi Troy, how are you?" He asked one of his best friends. 

"I'm... Exhausted, Conner can we take a nap when we get home?" He called over his shoulder as he released Dan from his hold. 

"Definitely, Love." 

"Sweet," he responded as he walked over to Conner and grabbed his other hand. 

He felt a fourth and final pair of arms wrap around him and smiled with a sigh as he squeezed his last friend. "Hi Ava," he gave a big grin to the kind brunette.

"Hey!" She pulled away and ruffled his hair, "how is my favorite cutie?" 

"I'm good," he blushed at her. She was always extremely pretty, and they had this friendship dynamic that was almost telepathic in nature. She knew everything about him, and especially how to make him blush. 

He smiled at his amazing group of friends, they were basically who he lived for, and the only good thing about moving to London. He was exciting to be living so close to them, before it was long Skype calls and rare rain tickets.

"Well, let's go grab some lunch. I'm starving," Dodie giggled wrapping a hand around her girlfriends arm.

They all mumbled words of agreement before walking to an Italian restaurant, the place was cute and had a homey feel to it. There were plants hanging from the ceiling and the walls. They got a table and started small talk about their tour, and other latest news. It was all good and light hearted. Until it's wasn't. 

"Dan, when are you going to find your soulmate?" Dodie asked what should have been lighthearted sweet question. The other three were talking something about history so it was only natural to strike up conversation. 

Dan sighed, "I honestly don't know. I'm at that age where I want to start a family... but what if I never find them?" 

"Don't worry, love, you'll find them. There is a fuck load of people out there, one of them is going to be yours forever. And besides, you don't have to be with your soulmate. Look at me, I'm happily dating my forever partner who isn't my soulmate. But she still brings color to my world." Dodie glanced at her girlfriend with a loving look in her eyes. 

"How poetic," Dan commented, breaking her eyes from her spouse. "But... in not sure. What if I'm alone forever? What if I never see color, and never get a person who puts me above anyone else..." he paused. "I want a husband or wife, a child, a dog, maybe a cat. But what if I just stand here waiting forever. What if I never get that chance to be loved..."

"I love you," Conner said across the table, apparently listening now. 

"And I love you." 

"I love you, too."

"We all love you," Dodie said smiling, "but there is someone out there and I just know you will meet them." She squeezed his hand sweetly, "you're going to look into their eyes and fall completely and utterly in love. Platonic or not." 

"I love you all, too," he confessed blushing. 

Soon after their sappy moment, the food came. The meal was delicious. And consisted of Conner ending up having too much to drink, Dan being red faced from laughing so much, Troy almost passing out from being so tired, Ava spitting her water across the table, and Dodie catching it all on Snapchat. And they stayed there for a very long time

The said their goodbyes and offered Dan a ride home, but he opted to take the tube. 

"Byeee," they all drove away leaving him in his solitude on the street corner. But he liked the time it gave him to breath.

He walked to the train with his head down and his hands in his pockets. He descended the stairs of the dingy old underground, and got in line for the rush hour traffic of the tube. He got through to the actual train and stepped on the vehicle just before it was about to take of. 

The train car was very packed so he just turned back to face the doors instead of finding somewhere else to stand. Once in position the automated voice said to stand back. His is head came up to meet the eyes of a stranger at the last second. Dan stood there for what felt like forever as the world moved slowly around him. He could hear slow and loud chatter but his heartbeat was booming over it. Those eyes shook Dan's world more than anything he had ever experienced. They made a shiver run up his spine and a heat to his neck and face. They were so bright, unlike anything he had ever seen. And in his heart he knew, they held color. 

That was his soulmate. 

But then everything came crashing around down as the doors snapped shut while the stranger came running to the train panic evident in his eyes. The train zipped away and Dan was thrown around at the lack of holding on. 

"No, no, no!" Dan whispered in a panic as he leaned on the door. His soulmate was gone and he barley even knew what he looked like. All he knew were those eyes. He stumbled and caught his balance. He cleared his threat and looked around.

Everything was colorful.

And his heart was in shards.


	4. Yellow

"Yellow is the sun. It glows and radiates and gets in your face, and is meant to be seen as a happy thing, but sometimes it's not. Yellow gets called ugly because it's the color of pee, it's stereotyped and hated on for rubbish reasons. Yellow is a color of happiness and bright flowers and fish and birds. Yellow is vibrant and beautiful. But only the right people see that."

Dan didn't sleep. 

Dan hadn't slept in weeks actually, he was haunted at night and even went so far as to ask CATD (that's what he calls Conner, Ava, Troy, and Dodie for short) for a sleepover in hopes that have the comfort of his loved ones would make him at ease and go to sleep... it didn't work. 

That night when he saw his soulmate he ended up going back to the platform and searching the place where the man had been, but he had no idea where he was so he ended up calling CATD and they all helped him search every single platform. But he was nowhere to be seen. After, he went back to their flat and they all fed him ice cream and hugs while he cried until he felt slightly better. 

He stayed up all night thinking about those eyes. He had absolutely no clue what the stranger looked like besides his eyes. But he has studied them so well that he was an expert. 

He knew they were made up of three main colors (thanks google). He ended up researching enough to find out it was Yellow, Green, and most of all Blue. His eyes were so blue that they looked like the most intriguing pool of liquid ever. He could go swimming in them. 

It was back to Monday at work now and he was so exhausted and happy he worked at a coffee shop. He needed so much coffee.

He took the tube to work and made sure to look for the blue eyes he wished for. But he also enjoyed the vibrancy of colors as he had every day for months. He noticed every color in the trees and sky and people around him. 

He loved it all. 

He got to work a few minuets before his shift started, and it seemed perfectly organized. He greeted those who he worked the shift with today, Louise and PJ. He had discovered exactly what time shifts were at now. 

On Monday:   
Chris and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Pj, Dan, Louise 8:00- 5:00   
Tyler and Gavin 5:00-12:00 

On Tuesday:  
Zoe and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Chris, Pj, Dan 8:00-5:00  
Louise and Tyler 5:00-12:00

On Wednesday:   
Gavin and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Zoe, Chris, Pj 8:00-5:00  
Dan and Louise 5:00-12:00 

On Thursday:  
Tyler and Stephan 12:00-800   
Gavin, Zoe, Chris 8:00-5:00   
Pj and Dan 5:00-12:00 

On Friday:  
Louise and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Tyler, Gavin, Zoe 8:00-5:00   
Chris and Pj 5:00-12:00

On Saturday:   
Dan and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Louise, Tyler, Gavin 7:00-5:00   
Zoe and Chris 5:00-12:00 

On Sunday:   
Pj and Stephan 12:00-8:00   
Dan, Louise, Tyler 8:00-5:00   
Gavin and Zoe 5:00-12:00

He had met everyone who worked there because of switching off shifts and such and they were all extremely kind people. The main people he knew were Louise, Pj, Tyler and Chris though. And he was finding himself in a very good friendship with all of them. He discovered that Chris and Pj were soulmates and were both single (even though they both had a crush on the other) and that Louise was a mother and only worked because she enjoyed it and not because she actually needed the money, her husband was actually a CEO of a nice business. She brought her daughter Darcy to the shop sometimes to visit her other friends while they were working. Louise also told Dan about her BFF Zoe. 

Dan also learned about Tyler who in turn taught him about Gavin, they had been dating for 2 and a half years now and had met at the coffee shop. They had their first shift together and ended up getting plenty of time to know each other during work. 

In turn Dan told them all about his disastrous soulmate incident and how he hoped to find him. He also shared about his newest pride and joy Suki the adorable Shebe inu that CATD had collectively bought for him after him mention wanting a dog, his landlords permission and after hearing him say how lonely his flat got. 

Suki was debatably the best thing that ever happened to Dan. She loved to cuddle and she adored Dan in general. She also rarely barked. But there were times when Dan would take her on a walk and someone would seem threatening and scare Dan and she would let out a few barks and a growl as the stranger backed away. She was adorable.

Overall Dan had started to really enjoy living in London. Everything seemed to be working out. His soulmate existed and was probably looking for him. He had a great job. He had some amazing friends (new and old). And he now had the best pal he could ask for. 

Then his mother rang.

His phone blared the sound he'd set for her. She had yet to talk to him sense he moved to London. Not that Dan rather cared much. 

"Hello?" He answered into the phone. 

"Hi Dan, just calling to check up on how London is." She didn't sound all that sober. But her voice was still sad and weak. 

"It's going fine" 

"That's good, good," came her awkward response. "Have you found your soulmate.

He winced, "yes and no. I've seen them but we haven't actually met. It was on the train and I got ripped away—" 

"Only you could fuck up soulmates," she laughed bitterly, her words slurred and a bit jumbled but the bitter message was there. "Was she even pretty though?" 

He blinked. A few seconds passed and he cleared his throat, "well, I have work in an hour and I need to shower so I'll talk to you later." That was a lie. He finished work 3 hours ago. 

"Work so late?" 

"Night shift. Bye." He hung up. Then promptly threw his phone away from him and broke down. 

Sobs wracked his body and he reflected on how right she was. He was the only one who could fuck up soulmates that bad. And of course she assumed it was a girl. Why hadn't he just ignored her phone call. All she did was tear down his finally OK mood. 

Suki was now cuddled into him licking his face and basically hugging his while laying on top of him. She was the best. He loved her. He pet her fur as his sobs wore down. He hiccuped a few times before being able to breath completely normal again. He turned his lamp off and grabbed the covers to pull over them. 

That's how he fell asleep. Entangled with his dog and her soft yellow fur.

He was such a fucking screwup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I actually wrote this story like a year and a half ago and I wrote it on Wattpad but it got like 10 views over the course of a year, so I posed it here because I liked it and I’m happily shocked that people are seeing this. So thank you for everyone who is reading this! (Also I think this story is cringeworthy now but embrace the cringe honestly)


	5. Green

"Green is the color of the trees and the color of life. It symbolizes growth and nature. Green is the color of adventure and wondering, the color of the brave and curious. Green is strong and sturdy. Green is when you are going camping in the wilderness with your best friend. Green is excitement and nervousness, it's that second before you tumble on stage and face the crowd delivering your lines with grace. But it's not the after, it's the during. Green is in the moment." 

"Good morning, good morning," Chris greets them paired with a clap on the back as he walks past the boy who was previously leaning against the counter checking his phone and a smile as he walks past Dan.

"Oh, yeah, good morning," Pj responds distractedly. 

"Who you texting, your girlfriend?" Chris teases. 

"Yeah, actually." 

Chris flushes and his face falls for a second, before laughing cheerily and shaking his head walking away into the back room. Pj turns to look after him dejectedly.

"Why can't he just be jealous?" Pj sighs, he's always the logical one. Of course he knows Chris cares about him the was he does. But, he's extremely good at hiding it and so Pj cant make a move until he is 100% sure. So he doesn't mess up this friendship of perfection. 

"Oh trust me, he is," Dan says, "you didn't see his face at first." 

Pj smiles sadly at Dan but doesn't reply as another morning customer walks in. They take orders and do their steady job for a while. Chris makes crude jokes quietly while the other two cackle. Pj being mentally insane for fun, and Dan laughing his hyena laugh as usual. 

Lots of people come to the shop but no sparkling blue eyes. Though there is a small group of people Dan knows that roll in when the shop is at a still. 

The first thing is that the bell rings, and then a girl in a yellow dress holding hands with a boy with brown hair and who looks like he just came from a photo shoot roll in. They are chatting quietly and don't seem to think anything of it.

Dan laughs and puts a finger in front of his lips. Pj and Chris look confused but go with it.

"Hi, what can I get you?" He asks before they even get to the register. The both jump at the voice and look up, surprise and delight taking over their features. 

"DAN!!" Dodie yells flinging herself across the room and hugging the boy with a kiss to his cheek. 

"I didn't know you worked here," Conner follows up coming up and kissing his cheek as well. 

Pj and Chris share a look at the interaction. 

"I do, this is the shop I was telling you about!" Dan says excitedly. 

"Well that's great, because we come here every week like this on a little platonic date."  
Conner explains. 

"I must always be on my break at that time!" Dan says back. 

"Alright, enough small talk, I want my tea," Dodie says, "I'll take a Carmel apple and a large English tea with—" 

"I know how you like your tea," Dan cuts her off. 

"I'll take a Banana nut muffin and a coffee, you know how I like it," Conner giggles as Dan rolls his eyes and takes the money.

"Coming right up," Dan laughs as Pj grabs the muffin and Chris starts the Carmel apple. Dan makes the tea and coffee. 

"So, Pj, Chris this is two of my best friends Dodie and Conner," I explain lightly to them. They laugh and smile. 

"Nice to meet you, I'm Chris and this is Pj," Chris explains before adding, "we are platonic soulmates." 

"So are we!" Dodie adds laughing. 

"Long story but there is another pair of platonic soulmates and they are dating them." Dan try's to sum up. 

Chris and Pj seem to understand that. 

"Alright, stop slacking, back to work," Conner jokes. 

"Yeah yeah whatever fuck off," Dan salutes back. 

Conner and Dodie leave eventually, with the confirmation the are still on for Friday afternoon. Dan agrees and bids them farewell. 

Soon enough his shift is over and he is heading home to Suki and some take out sushi. 

Dan takes the tube again and keeps his eyes peeled but doesn't see anyone. When he gets home he is met with love and affection. He calls his food, and gives Suki some dinner while they wait. When they get the text that it's ready he and Suki go on a walk to the sushi place to pick it up. He gets his bag, pays for it, and they walk home. But on the way he decides that they should go to the park and have a picnic. They run home and Dan packs a bag with a few toys, some water bottles, Suki's treats and water bowl, and a blanket. 

All Dan can think are how beautiful the colors are, the slight green budding of the trees with the small amounts of cold snow still sticking to them is gorgeous and the grass is soft and vibrant, even in March. The cold only makes the park more beautiful.

Then they head to the park and enjoy eating sushi and playing frisbee and looking at stars after it gets dark. They stay there for a very long time. They end up going home around 10:00 and were there for 3 hours. 

As soon as Dan hits the pillow he and Suki, curled up in his bed, fall asleep. 

***

The next day he has the afternoon free until 5:00 so he takes Suki to the Park again and they play frisbee for a while until she gets tired and falls asleep on his lap while he reads. 

They go home and make some lunch and Dan goes on Tumblr 4 hours until he has to get ready for work. 

He gets there to greet Louise with a big smile and a hug hello. She reciprocates with a smile and a motherly comment of how sweet he is. There are still people in the shop, all of them with books or laptops. Nobody comes up to order so Dan takes it upon himself to clean off some tables and mop the floor. He's very focused in what he is doing that he startles when a voice is head in the coffee shop. He puts his stuff down and goes to help Louise make drinks. He glances at the stranger ordering. He's tall with black hair and wearing a red flannel and tight skinny jeans.

Dan looks away and busy's himself making the drink. He pops the lid on the Carmel coffee and slides it to the man with a straw but the moment he looks up, his eyes widen and he feels tears welling in them. 

Bright blue, yellow, and green eyes stare back at Dan. An overwhelming surge of safety and warmth sparks from the center of Dans back and trails up his spine to his ears and cheeks. 

“Hello.”


	6. Blue

"Blue is the sky and the ocean. It's a wonder of different emotions, it's happy and light, but also sad and dreary. Blue is the color you see when your first girlfriend breaks up with you or your first boyfriend says he wants to see other people. It's the color you see when you don't win the art contest or you don't get invited to a party. But blue is also the color you see when you wake up to the love of your life every morning. It's the color you see when when you take your little child to the museum and have a calm and fun day. Or a day at the beach on your vacation. It's relaxing and peaceful and sometimes so loving. Blue is mysterious in its ways, it means something different to everyone." 

"Fucking finally," Dan gasped tackling the other man in a hug. The man immediately reciprocates and nuzzles his neck. They stay there for a long time just enjoying each other. 

"Hi," the man finally says not even letting go. 

"Hi," Dan giggles back. 

Louise coughs a bit and they finally let go to face her. She smiles widely at Dan, "You can go, I'll take over your shift." She winks before adding, "good to see you Phil." 

It takes Dan a second but he catches on a bit. "You know each other?" He asks. 

"We've been friends for years," Phil explains 

"Never put two and two together that you were that mystery man after both of you sulked for months though," adds Louise. "Guess it's your faults for not telling me the full story though." 

Dan turned to gaze at Phil's face somewhere during that conversation. 

"Gosh, your so disgustingly in love already, the both of you," she joked, "go on love birds." 

The grabbed hands and ran out of the cafe. The giddily walked hand in hand down the street. 

"So my name is Phil, but you probably already know that, I don't know your name though." Phil said. 

"I'm Dan," the reply was mumbled a bit and was quiet and shy. And at the sound Phil immediately stopped walking and turned to face him. He looked directly into his eyes which were full of concern and care.

"Hey, there is no reason to be shy, I promise I won't hurt or judge you." Phil kindly said with open and earnest eyes. Phil's finger brushes the cheek in the brunet boy and Dan raises his head. Dan felt his heart pulse, he's always been a bit scared to meet his soulmate because everyone who is meant to love him ends up disliking or mistreating him. Or in the case of his father, dead. 

"Ok," Dan said quietly with a small flush and a shy smile one his face. Phil seemed different, Phil was sweet and caring and was friends with Louise. "What's your last name?" It was still quiet but he felt better. 

"My full birth name is Phillip Micheal Lester," he said with an extremely (fake) posh accent. 

"Daniel James Howell," he replied. 

"Alright, now serious stuff," Phil said and Dan stiffened, "what is your favorite band?" 

Dan barked out a laugh feeling himself completely relax, "Muse." 

"No way! Me too!" Phil excitedly jump up and down as they continued walking, not even fully sure where they were going. "You really are my soulmate!" Dan giggles and Phil thinks it sounds like wedding bells. 

From there they spent a solid hour talking about music and culture while wandering the park. It was quiet, peaceful, and all Dan could think was the word safe. 

"Alright, so tell me your story," Phil proposed. 

"My story?" 

"Yeah, like, how did you get where you are. Who made you like this. What makes you you?" Phil elaborated and for some reason Dan had a feeling this was a philosophy he lived by. 

"Well I was born in Berkshire and I had a mum and a dad, and my dad had cancer growing up, but my parents were really happy and hopeful and they were soulmates so every night when I was a kid my mum would have me pick a color and she would tell me what that color felt like, what it meant, what it was. It was like my nightly bedtime story." Dan stopped, after that the story gets sad. 

"And? What next?" Phil asked in a whisper. 

"Well, my Dad died when I was 13. And I became very shy and my friends drifted off so I only had a few. And I.. i got bullied at school. My mom didn't grieve well so she turned to alcohol. My mom started dating and she ended up marrying someone when I was 15. That was the time I got my first boy friend, who cheated on my with my only other friend, a girl. And then he proceeded to tell everyone I was a fag and that I forced him to have sex with me. My stepdad turned out to be abusive, he was a jerk. A-and.." Dan sighed and then looked at Phil who was looking at him with sadness but also pride. 

"You're so brave," he said grabbing Dan's hand and holding it, "so, so, so brave. I hope you know that." 

Phil gently ran his hands into Dans hair, holding his head securely and then looking into his eyes, no more words needed to convey what Phil was saying.

Dan was stunned, nobody but CATD would have replied like that. Dan Gabe a watery smile with his dimples on full display. He really did get lucky with this one, Phil seemed perfect. 

Dan reached his arms out blindly and pulled Phil to him, the position want the most well thought out but Dan could hear Phil's heartbeat and in that moment he knew that everything would be okay.

"Go on, there has got to be more," Phil pulled back and was still holding his hand, stroking that back if it with his thumb. 

"I finished high school and happily fled to university. There I met my best friend Conner, he helped me through a shit ton of stuff. I ended up hating school but got a lot of lifetime friends. My first year went by well enough but I went home for the summer and things went back to bad." Dan took a deep breath, in and out. "I.. tried to take my own life away and Conner ended up jumping on a plane from America to see me the second he found out I was in the hospital. He brought his soulmate who soon became one of my closest friends. And they took me back to America until school started. My last two years of uni went well and I ended up going to America every summer. I got my degree in phycology. But after I moved back home I found a job working at a homeless shelter but the pay wasn't enough to live off off so I lived with my parents for 2 years. Then they demanded I was too old to be living at home so they shipped me to London. I got a really well paying job at that coffee shop and ended up making lots of friends, I've been here for three months now." 

Phil just pulled him into a hug, "thank you." 

"For what?" Dan asked. 

"For not actually taking your life, for sharing all of that with me, for being a good person with bad things around them," Phil was nearly crying now. "God, in so happy I found you. I'm going to make you so happy. I'm going to make it my personal goal to make you as happy as a human can possibly can. Gosh, I- I love you. I know we just met but I know I do and I know I will only love you more and more. I don't care if we end up dating or we are best friends. I love you." 

Dan laughed and for the second time that day and thought about how lucky they were. He leaned back and rested his forehead against Phil's gazing into his warm sweet eyes. 

Blue means home...


End file.
